“You okay?”
“This place. It’s weirdly familiar,” he replied.
I didn’t want to speak it out loud, but I was picking up the same vibe.
Below was another private runway letting us know we weren’t about to land at a private airport. Instead, there was a strip of runway that ran along the east side of the massive pale blue estate we were about to visit. At sky view, there was no mistaking the armed guards circling the grounds in tactical gear like soldier ants.
A thick patch of coconut and palm trees separated the runway from the estate and a few gray SUVs with waiting guards stood on post for our arrival. Although armed, none had unholstered their weapons. They were standing in a relaxed pose, which was another good sign.
Once we landed and exited the plane, we weren’t directed to where we needed to go by anyone on the ground. Tywin and I walked to the back of the first waiting vehicle. I hadn’t missed the smile that had lighted the face of one of the guards at our go-with-the-flow actions, especially when Tywin lifted me into the SUV.
What was the point in fussing or fighting? We were out-numbered and out-gunned, and all that was left was to go in and hopefully find answers.
The closer we got to the house, the faster and harder my heart pounded. The weird familiar sensation hit me again, but I ignored it. I didn’t feel threatened, but the unknown about this situation raised my anxiety level so high that I fought not to shake.
We exited the vehicle and every guard within our sight snapped to attention with their heads bowed like they were afraid to glance at us.
“What the hell?” Tywin uttered.
What the hell was going on indeed? No one was escorting us either, so we headed to the front door and figured someone would stop us if we made a wrong move.
The way the breeze touched down on our skin and seemed to melt into our flesh, the fresh outdoorsy scent kissed by the fat flirty leaves of palm trees, and the sparkling blue water that lured our senses into peace was all disturbed by my high stress level. There was enough anxiety in this situation that I needed to borrow a blood pressure pill.
When we approached the steps, the front door was swung open wide by a maid in a dark dress uniform. She, like the guards, dropped her head and wouldn’t look us in the eyes either. We took the steps with a careful march, glancing around and scanning the unusual behavior of everyone we had approached since we’d landed on this island.
“Is it me or is everyone acting weird as hell?” I mumbled under my breath.
“This is weird as fuck,” Tywin commented, sounding irritated but not letting it reflect through his careful body movements.
As soon as I stepped up to the open door, I paused and took a long peek inside before taking the next step. I spotted a few more guards inside, standing in place, their heads down and their posture stiff like a commander had put them at attention. I was tempted to give the ‘at ease’ command so they could relax because their behavior was stressing me the hell out.
I took the first step across the threshold of the door and an automated voice greeted, “Hello. Welcome back, Payton Katrena Bishop.”
My heart hopped into my throat at the sound. I stopped in my tracks, which caused me to misstep.
“What the hell did that thing just say?” I asked, pointing in the direction the voice had come from.
Before Tywin replied, he stepped through the doorway and set the voice off again.
“Hello. Welcome back, Tywin Xavier Vallin.”
Our gazes locked, and our mouths formed wide O’s, but neither of us had the ability to spit out a single word. We had been lured into a mind trap and whatever words we were set to speak had dissolved on our tongue.
Apparently, the piece of automated equipment was saying that Tywin had already been here before.Payton Katrena Bishop, whoever the hell that was, had apparently already been here before too. Was that supposed to be my name?
“You’ve been here before?”
“You’re a Bishop?”
We managed to ask our questions to each other simultaneously.
“I don’t know what the hell’s going on. I have a sense of familiarity with this place, but I don’t remember being here at any point in my life,” Tywin blurted out, shaking his head and like me, he appeared to still be sorting through memories.
“This has to be a mind game they are playing with us,” I spat, looking around the massive living room that was open on two sides to water views. Neither of us had taken another step and none of the guards glanced up to offer a word, though I sensed their eyes on Tywin and me.
“If you’re a Bishop, that explains…everything,” he said. Although his gaze was fixed on mine, he was speaking on impulse because I could see him thinking.
“I don’t know what a Bishop is,” I whispered, lifting my palms up and shrugging. Though confused as hell, I did remember that bitch at Horizon Group saying my mother was involved with Operation Chess Piece. Also, my mother and supposed father were arguing about chess pieces before he shot her.